Etihad
Airways has unveiled plans to acquire 49 per cent of JatAirways. The
Abu Dhabi-based carrier has also been awarded a five year management
contract for the Serbian national airline.
These are two of the key components of a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement, signed by Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia, which includes a fleet of new aircraft, and a new integrated network of international destinations enabling greater access for business and leisure travellers to Serbia.
The historic agreement follows the launch of Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade in June and will significantly enhance trade and investment relations between the United Arab Emirates and Serbia as well as boosting the tourism sector in both countries.
Within the agreement Etihad Airways will make available a USD 40 million loan facility which will be converted into equity on 1 January 2014, subject to regulatory approval. This will be matched by an equal funding injection by the Government of Serbia.
The rebranding and renaming of JatAirways to Air Serbia is a significant moment in the history of the Serbian carrier which is more than 80 years old. Tail fins on Air Serbia aircraft will feature the Serbian coat of arms and the country’s state colours on both sides.
The new livery was designed by a team in Serbia and the UAE and provides a new look and feel for the national airline. The aim was to make a break with past practice, but not with Serbian heritage and also offer an unmistakeable national identity.
Among other planned developments will be an enhanced flight network, codesharing with Etihad Airways and airberlin, adding to Air Serbia’s current network of 33 cities another 12 destinations in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The new destinations are Abu Dhabi (complementing Etihad Airways’ daily service), as well as Banja Luka, Beirut, Bucharest, Budapest, Cairo, Kiev, Ljubljana, Prague, Sofia, Varna, and Warsaw.
Among the first new destinations to be launched by Air Serbia will be a four flights a week service between Belgrade and Abu Dhabi.
Complementing Etihad Airways’ current daily flights, the new Air Serbia service will start in October 2013 and will move to daily when the new fleet grows to facilitate an increased service.
The new A319 aircraft will be in Air Serbia livery, with a stylish cabin trim and product of a standard never seen before operating out of Belgrade.
The current JatAirways fleet of 10 Boeing 737-300 aircraft will be retired from scheduled operations, and in the short term will be replaced by leased narrow body aircraft. In the longer term, an Air Serbia order will be made for 10 new narrow body aircraft.
The strategic partnership agreement will also offer unprecedented career development opportunities for Air Serbia cabin and flight deck crew, who will have access to Etihad Airways’ world class Training Academy and facilities in Abu Dhabi.
Air Serbia will become Etihad Airways’ sixth equity partner following investments in airberlin (29.21 per cent), Air Seychelles (40 per cent), Virgin Australia (10.5 per cent), Aer Lingus (2.99 per cent) and most recently Jet Airways (24 per cent – subject to regulatory approval).
These are two of the key components of a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement, signed by Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia, which includes a fleet of new aircraft, and a new integrated network of international destinations enabling greater access for business and leisure travellers to Serbia.
The historic agreement follows the launch of Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade in June and will significantly enhance trade and investment relations between the United Arab Emirates and Serbia as well as boosting the tourism sector in both countries.
Within the agreement Etihad Airways will make available a USD 40 million loan facility which will be converted into equity on 1 January 2014, subject to regulatory approval. This will be matched by an equal funding injection by the Government of Serbia.
The rebranding and renaming of JatAirways to Air Serbia is a significant moment in the history of the Serbian carrier which is more than 80 years old. Tail fins on Air Serbia aircraft will feature the Serbian coat of arms and the country’s state colours on both sides.
The new livery was designed by a team in Serbia and the UAE and provides a new look and feel for the national airline. The aim was to make a break with past practice, but not with Serbian heritage and also offer an unmistakeable national identity.
Among other planned developments will be an enhanced flight network, codesharing with Etihad Airways and airberlin, adding to Air Serbia’s current network of 33 cities another 12 destinations in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The new destinations are Abu Dhabi (complementing Etihad Airways’ daily service), as well as Banja Luka, Beirut, Bucharest, Budapest, Cairo, Kiev, Ljubljana, Prague, Sofia, Varna, and Warsaw.
Among the first new destinations to be launched by Air Serbia will be a four flights a week service between Belgrade and Abu Dhabi.
Complementing Etihad Airways’ current daily flights, the new Air Serbia service will start in October 2013 and will move to daily when the new fleet grows to facilitate an increased service.
The new A319 aircraft will be in Air Serbia livery, with a stylish cabin trim and product of a standard never seen before operating out of Belgrade.
The current JatAirways fleet of 10 Boeing 737-300 aircraft will be retired from scheduled operations, and in the short term will be replaced by leased narrow body aircraft. In the longer term, an Air Serbia order will be made for 10 new narrow body aircraft.
The strategic partnership agreement will also offer unprecedented career development opportunities for Air Serbia cabin and flight deck crew, who will have access to Etihad Airways’ world class Training Academy and facilities in Abu Dhabi.
Air Serbia will become Etihad Airways’ sixth equity partner following investments in airberlin (29.21 per cent), Air Seychelles (40 per cent), Virgin Australia (10.5 per cent), Aer Lingus (2.99 per cent) and most recently Jet Airways (24 per cent – subject to regulatory approval).
